The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and UK Alpha Resilience and Capability (ARC) Programme have updated the UK nuclear industry on new standards for handling Special Nuclear Material (SNM) in gloveboxes.
Inspectors spoke at the ONR Technical Assessment Guide (TAG) Conference for SNM Gloveboxes to encourage the sector to follow this new consistent framework to improve safety and reliability.
Gloveboxes are windowed, sealed containers that allow hazardous materials to be handled safely using built-in gloves, protecting operators from exposure. They are used across the nuclear industry from modern installations to older units undergoing post-operational clean-out or decommissioning.
ONR inspectors undertake both inspection and assessment of gloveboxes, their operations and safety cases.
At the two-day conference held earlier this week and attended by more than 100 delegates, the regulator and experts from across the UK nuclear sector gave insightful learning accounts and practical advice on the new ONR Technical Assessment Guide on Gloveboxes, published in January.
Matthew Dingsdale, Mechanical Engineering Specialist Inspector and ONR's lead for ARC, said: “Gloveboxes are crucial to protect workers. They are increasingly needed in the nuclear sector as demand grows for facilities to handle special nuclear material (SNM), such as plutonium and enriched uranium, which emit alpha particles.
"Ensuring that those across the nuclear sector understand our regulatory expectations and follow the necessary standards is vital to worker safety.”
The UK ARC Programme is a proactive, long-term collaboration between the UK government, nuclear industry and wider nuclear sector and was established to enhance the capability of UK licensees and the supply chain to design, manufacture, operate and decommission special nuclear material containment facilities, systems and components.
ONR is a member of the UK ARC Programme, alongside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd, Nuclear Restoration Services, Atomic Weapons Establishment, UK National Nuclear Laboratory and the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group.
Nigel Crooks, Group Leader Engineering Safety Organisation, at AWE, said: “The joint efforts from the nuclear industry and the ONR to standardise the design of gloveboxes, and the regulatory assessment of them, is a great example of how we can simplify the approach to delivering safe, compliant systems.
“This needs to be continued with the ability to embrace changes quickly with the right stakeholder involvement.
“This is key for the nuclear industry and supports ‘delivering faster and more economical outcomes while maintaining safety’ which was a key improvement identified in the Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025 for changing the culture and embracing innovation in the nuclear industry.”
Scott Bazley, UK ARC Programme Manager, said: “Collaboration across the UK nuclear sector has never been more important.
“The SNM glovebox standards, delivered through the UK ARC Programme, showcase the collective expertise, energy, and commitment of subject matter experts working together to improve how we operate.”